[Oasfaa] First State Legislative Update

[Fair, Bryce]

Following is the first bill-tracking legislative update for the 2014 session which begins on Monday.  I'll try to provide links to the actual text of some of the bills early next week.
Bryce Fair



The update below reflects the current status of major legislation concerning Higher Education during the week of January 27, 2014 - January 31, 2014.

If you have any questions, please contact Hollye Hunt at hhunt at osrhe.edu<mailto:hhunt at osrhe.edu> or 405.225.9424.

Legislative Report
January 27th- January 31st

Tuition

HB 2781// Representative James Lockhart// The legislation requires the legislature to approve tuition and fee increases by concurrent resolution. The State Regents shall submit the recommendations to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President Pro Tempore of the Senate by February 1 prior to the next academic year. The Legislature shall by concurrent resolution either approve or disapprove the proposed tuition rate increase. The tuition rate increase shall be deemed approved if the Legislature has adjourned the regular session and has failed to disapprove the tuition rate increase.

SB 2001// Senator Connie Johnson// The legislation creates the "Pay it Forward/ Pay it Back" Pilot Program.  Subject to the availability of funds, the State Regents may create a program where a student would forgo paying tuition and fees to attend an institution and agree to pay the State of Oklahoma or the higher ed institution a portion of their adjusted gross income upon graduation.

HB 2462// Representative Mike Turner// The legislation permits, beginning with the 2015-2016 academic year, each comprehensive and regional institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education to establish a tuition payback program. The program shall offer to eligible resident students who are enrolled as a full-time undergraduate an opportunity to enroll in the institution without paying tuition or fees. In lieu of paying tuition and fees, the student shall be required to sign a binding contract to pay to the institution a certain percentage of the annual federal adjusted gross taxable income of the student upon graduation from the institution for a specified number of years as provided for in the Oklahoma Student Loan Public University Competition Act.

OKPromise


HB 2778// Representative Jadine Nollan// The legislation requires a student to either repay the tuition for courses or units dropped or limits the payment of their next OKPromise award.  student.



HB 2902// Representative Ann Coody// The legislation requires a student to take a financial literacy class in high school to satisfy eligibility for the OKPromise award.



HB 2962// Representative Ann Coody// The legislation is a shell bill relating to OKPromise.



HB 3211// Representative Jeff Hickman// The legislation requires an OKPromise student to take 15 credit hours each semester.



HB 3419// Representative Mike Shelton// The legislation requires a student to attend a financial literacy course offered through the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.



HB 3499// Representative Jason Nelson// The legislation is a shell bill relating to OKPromise.



HB 2749// Representative Todd Russ// The legislation is a shell bill relating to OKPromise.



HB 2644// Representative Steve Kouplen//  The legislation eliminates the income requirements of the OKPromise program for students who are in the permanent custody of the Department of Human Services at the time the student enrolls in the program.



SB 1662// Senator John Ford// The legislation creates the Career Promise Act.  The new scholarship would pay the fees for certain associate degrees designated by the Dept. of Commerce.  The associate degree must be in a critical industry area that meets the guidelines of the identified core competencies of the state based on wealth generation, growth potential and competitive advantage.  The student must also meet the OKPromise income and academic requirements.



SB 1190// Senator Randy Bass// The legislation increases the income eligibility from $50,000 to $68,000.



Remediation



HB 3179// Representative Gus Blackwell//  The legislation does not allow a college or university to charge a student who enters college three years from graduating high school tuition or fees for remediation courses.  The student may take the remediation course at the higher ed facility or the resident school district.  The college or university may charge an online fee if the class is taken online.



Tuition Waivers/ Scholarships



SB 1491// Senator John Sparks// The legislation allows a student to be eligible for resident tuition if the student enrolls prior to 2016, graduated from a Oklahoma high school and resides in the state of Oklahoma.



HB 2535// Representative Doug Cox// The legislation creates the Oklahoma Early College Scholarship Program. The program allows a student who graduates from an Oklahoma high school in three years to receive a scholarship to a higher education institution.   The scholarship will be funded with a portion of the money saved by the state in providing state aid funding to school districts.



HB2634// Representative Eric Proctor// The legislation provides a full waiver of resident tuition and fees if the student is a resident of Oklahoma and served as a member of the active uniformed military services of the United States on full-time active duty status for more than thirty (30) days.



SB 1829// Senator Corey Brooks// The legislation allows a student to be eligible for resident tuition if the student presents to the institution valid documentation of participation in the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps, Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps or the Navy/Marines Reserve Officers' Training Corps.



SB 1223// Senator Frank Simpson// The legislation creates the 9/11 G.I. Bill.  The bill allows a one-hundred-percent-disabled veteran of any branch of the United States Armed Forces, including the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Air Force, the United States Coast Guard or the Oklahoma National Guard, whose injuries were sustained while on active duty and in the performance of his or her duties and his or her spouse and children, to be entitled to attend any state-supported technology center school operating under the State Board of Career and Technology Education or any institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education without payment of tuition or fees.



Governance/ Board Make-up



SJR 47// Senator Jim Halligan// The resolution is a state question that limits the members serving on the A&M Board of Regents to 16 years of service.





Higher Education Shell Bills



HB 3342// Representative Scott Inman// The legislation is a higher education shell bill.



SB 1617// Senator John Sparks// The legislation is a higher education shell bill.



HJR 1091// Representative TW Shannon// The resolution is a state question related to higher education.



HB 3084// Representative TW Shannon// The legislation is a higher education shell bill.



SB 1606// Senator Ron Justice// The legislation is a higher education shell bill relating to the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station.



Concurrent Enrollment



HB 2479// Representative Justin Wood// The legislation is a shell bill relating to concurrent enrollment.



Guns on Campus



HB 2887// Representative John Enns// The legislation does not allow a college or university to prohibit an individual with a valid hand gun license from carrying their weapon on campus.



HB 2881// Representative Tom Newell// The legislation indicates that in lieu of written consent to each individual licensee, the college or university president may establish a campus-wide policy for the general public.



SB 1466// Senator Nathan Dahm//  The legislation provides that if a college or university gives written consent for an individual licensee pursuant to the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act to carry a concealed weapon on property that the college or university owns or has legal control of, the college or university is immune from liability arising from such consent.



SB 1363// Senator AJ Griffin// The legislation indicates that in lieu of written consent to each individual licensee, the college or university president may establish a campus-wide policy for the general public.



Administrative Procedures Act



SB 1694// Senator Eddie Fields// The legislation eliminates language regarding the expulsion of a student.



Accreditation



SB 1660// Senator John Ford// The legislation requires additional steps a private institution must follow to operate in the state of Oklahoma.



HB 2318// Representative Ken Walker// The legislation allows a religious, theological or faith-based institution to be exempt from the State Regents accreditation requirements if the institution can show the following: 1) it is a nonprofit institution owned, controlled, operated and maintained by a bona fide church or religious denomination, lawfully operating as a nonprofit religious corporation, 2) limits the educational program to the principles of the associated church or denomination and the diploma or degree is limited to evidence of completion of the program and 3) only grants degrees or diplomas in areas of study that contain on their face in the written description of the title of the degree or diploma being conferred a reference to the religious, theological or faith-based aspect of the subject area of the degree.



HB 2352// Representative Sally Kern// The legislation allows a religious, theological or faith-based institution to be exempt from the State Regents accreditation requirements if the institution meets the following: 1) the name of the institution includes a religious modifier or the name of a religious patriarch, saint, person or symbol of the church, 2) the institution offers only educational programs that prepare students for religious vocations as ministers, professionals or laypersons in the categories of ministry, counseling, theology, education, administration, music, fine arts, media communications or social work, 3) the titles of degrees issued by the institution cannot be confused with secular degree titles, 4) the duration of all degree programs offered by the institution is consistent with the standards of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and 5) the consumer practices of the institution are consistent with any consumer practice requirements established by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.



SB 1160// Senator Nathan Dahm// The legislation allows a religious, theological or faith-based institution to be exempt from the State Regents accreditation requirements if the institution can show the following: 1) it is a nonprofit institution owned, controlled, operated and maintained by a bona fide church or religious denomination, lawfully operating as a nonprofit religious corporation, 2) limits the educational program to the principles of the associated church or denomination and the diploma or degree is limited to evidence of completion of the program and 3) only grants degrees or diplomas in areas of study that contain on their face in the written description of the title of the degree or diploma being conferred a reference to the religious, theological or faith-based aspect of the subject area of the degree.



Teacher Prep



HB 2655// Representative Sally Kern// The legislation requires teacher candidates to study English Language acquisition and teaching methods and strategies for the instruction of an English Language Learner.



HB 2885// Representative Ann Coody//  The legislation directs the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to work with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the various institutions of higher education to establish a paid teacher internship program at each institution for prospective teachers. The purpose of each program shall be to provide mentorship and support for prospective teachers. Students enrolled in a teacher education program and students enrolled in an alternative placement program shall be eligible to participate in the program.



Pension/ Retirement



HB 2611// Representative Randy McDaniel// The legislation amends the definition section of "regular annual compensation" to exclude clinical related activity performed in Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS) Professional Practice Plan.



Open Records



SB 1577// Senator Sean Burrage//  The legislation creates an exemption to the Open Records Act.  It allows higher education institutions to keep confidential  1) business plans, feasibility studies, financing proposals, marketing plans, financial statements or trade secrets submitted by a person or entity seeking economic advice, business development or customized training from such Departments or school districts, and 2) proprietary information of the business submitted to the Department or school districts for the purpose of business development or customized training, and related confidentiality agreements detailing the information or records designated as confidential, and 3) information compiled by such Departments or school districts in response to those submissions.



Task Forces/ Advisory Committees



HB 2959// Representative Josh Cockroft// The legislation establishes the, "Oklahoma-A STEM State of Mind Act" and creates an advisory committee with the primary purpose of promoting and supporting STEM education and training.



SB 1958// Senator Sean Burrage// The legislation creates the "Skills for Jobs Working Group." The working group will study the state's workforce need projections.



Athletics



HB 3454// Representative Anastasia Pittman// The legislation does not allow an institution to be a member of a nonprofit athletic association unless the association the institution belongs to requires annual baseline concussion testing of each student athlete on the active roster of each team participating in a contact or collision sport.



SB 2107// Senator Connie Johnson// The legislation creates the Student-Athlete Bill of Rights.



Veterans/Military



SB 1830// Senator Corey Brooks// The legislation allows men and women who are enrolled at a higher education institution and are in the active uniformed military services to take a leave of absence if called into active duty.



Other



HB 3435// Representative Mike Shelton// The legislation directs the State Regents to make financial literacy courses available for students at different times during the academic year for no tuition or fee costs.


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